


Keep Me Balanced

by Wheezefeeds



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Fluff, M/M, secret santa gift, they ice skate and also fall down
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-31
Updated: 2016-12-31
Packaged: 2018-09-13 15:58:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9131428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wheezefeeds/pseuds/Wheezefeeds
Summary: A 50yearsofstartrek secret santa gift.Jim, Leonard, and Spock find time for a winter vacation and go ice skating.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sixclawsdragon](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=sixclawsdragon).



> So this is a little late for a secret santa, but I hope you're happy with it nonetheless.   
> I really just wanted them to go ice skating...

"Jim, are you positive that this is a good idea?" Spock had asked when they'd beamed down off of the Enterprise, and their bodies were solid once more. He looked mildly uncomfortable. Or, at least, as uncomfortable as he was willing to show, being a Vulcan and all. There was something to be said though, about how much more open he'd been with his emotions lately, even if only in private.

"You can't be seriously trying to change his mind, can you? He's been talking about this for weeks," Leonard huffed, his arms crossed over his chest against the chilly breeze. He never liked being on Earth when it was cold. He was a southern boy at heart, more suited to the warm sun and heady, heavy layer of hot air. He'd somehow been convinced to come along on what Jim insisted calling a 'Winter Holiday'. The crew was being given the day off to roam as they wished around the Enterprise, or on Earth, simply enjoying some peace before they were to set off again tomorrow. 

"Not _weeks_ , Bones. You're totally exaggerating," Jim said with a small frown, although the light in his eyes and the small bounce in his step showed just how pleased he was to be here. He'd obviously been thinking about this for a long time. He carried a rather large bag across his shoulder, and from the way he kept tugging on it, it was obviously very heavy. There was no telling what he was carrying in there, and Leonard was honestly a bit scared to ask.  

"Like hell I am," the Doctor said instead, with a roll of his eyes and a barely there smile. He'd long since gotten used to Jim's antics, and while he'd be dead before he admitted it, he'd grown to be a bit fond of them. That is, as long as they weren't life threatening, as they often tended to be.

And unfortunately, Spock also seemed to have a thing for dramatics and self sacrifice. Honestly, they were both going to give him a heart attack one day just from the stress. Maybe he could benefit from this little break, although he wasn't sure how relaxing it would turn out to be with those two around.

"At the very least, would you please inform us as to why you have chosen Earth to take a vacation?" Spock questioned, shoving his hands further into the pockets of the jacket he was wearing. It was a thick winter one, insulated for extra warmth. Leonard wasn't very well going to let the guy freeze, since he wasn't suited to colder climates. It seemed they both had that in common, but Jim barely even looked bothered compared to them. 

"All in good time, Spock," the Enterprise Captain said with a grin that showed he wasn't planning on telling anyone anything. Rather, he was going to wait for them to see it on their own. 

Leonard's response was to just huff and raise his shoulders to bury his chin further into the scarf he had wrapped around his neck. "Lead the way then," he muttered, ushering the man forward with a wave of one hand. 

Spock, for his part, simply chose to keep silent, following behind them once they began moving forward. The Doctor, when he turned his head, could see a thoughtful sort of glint in his eyes, which always tended to appear when he was trying to figure Jim out. Unfortunately, it was a common enough look, since the Captain was cryptic as hell and liked to leave them guessing. He thought it was fun. Leonard doubted that Spock found much enjoyment in the mystery, but he tolerated it well enough.

They walked swiftly together through the weather, all the while talking about this or that from back on the ship. Leonard eventually fell back to be next to the Vulcan, looking over him carefully. "Doctor, are you failing to remember that I recognize that expression?" he asked. "You are feeling concerned."

Knowing that he'd been found out, Leonard didn't hold back his thoughts. There was no point really, when Spock would continue to question him until he told the truth, anyway. "Are you too cold?"

"The temperature is a bit lower than I am used to, but I am alright," the Vulcan replied with a short nod of his head. There was a green flush across his cheeks, nose, and ears, but the Doctor suspected it was caused by the weather, and that he was probably looking a little red to match. 

"Well, just checking," he replied, burrowing his hands into the pockets of his coat as Jim finally slowed his pace to fall back in between them. 

"What are you two doing back here?" he asked casually, reaching his arms out to wrap one around each of their shoulders. The bag he carried bumped against Spock's back, but there were no sounds of protest or discomfort. The Captain wore a grin on his face that showed just how much of a good mood he was in today, and Leonard couldn't deny that he was finding it a bit contagious, despite his irritation at the cold. 

"We are discussing my usual disinclination towards colder weather," Spock said blandly, as if Leonard hadn't just been worrying over whether he was freezing or not. He wondered if the Vulcan had chosen his words on purpose to preserve some form of secrecy over their conversation, or if he had simply thought nothing of it. 

The smile lost a fraction of it's joy, and Jim looked over in what was rather easily readable as concern. "Are you too cold, Spock?" he questioned, his eyes wide. 

The Vulcan shook his head once. "Of course not, Captain, this jacket and my thermal shirt are adequate enough," he said assuredly. And then, with the childlike happiness returning to his expression, Jim squeezed his shoulder a bit tighter. 

"Okay, good," the man hummed, leading them both forward. They couldn't very well stray too far from him with the tight grip Jim held, but Leonard didn't mind too much. He liked the closeness, and the extra warmth someone else's body provided in the chilly weather. He suspected that Spock felt the same way. The Vulcan was, surprisingly enough, a huge fan of cuddling. 

"Are you going to tell us where we're going yet, Jim?" the Doctor asked with a light roll of his eyes. At this point they'd been walking for about half an hour. They had to be somewhat close, right?

"We're almost there, Bones. Don't get your panties in a twist just because you're impatient, alright?"

"While I understand the meaning behind that phrase, I still do not know how it came to be," Spock piped in, effectively putting a stopper on their usual childlike bickering.

"Twisted panties are uncomfortable and it makes you irritated," Jim hummed, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. While Leonard could agree that any particular piece of clothing being turned the wrong way didn't feel good, he didn't have much experience with the panties. He wouldn't be surprised if Jim did, though.

An easy peace fell over them after that, and they walked together in the silence, Jim never removing his arms from around the two men next to him. There was a light snow falling around them, and Leonard occasionally looked up at it, the clouds of his breath billowing out across his vision in the cold air. 

"Ah, we made it!" Jim practically cheered, finally releasing his hold and brushing past them, dropping the big bag into the snow with a loud thud. 

"Made it where, exactly?" the Doctor questioned, walking forward, looking around them. They were, well, they were in the middle of nowhere, really. Tall, bare trees practically loomed around them in a large arc, like they were in a clearing at the beginning of a forest. A small, frozen lake sat at the edge of the trees, and the ground was completely coated in a thick layer of snow. There was nothing particularly special to be seen anywhere nearby.

Spock walked forward to stand next to him, clasping gloved hands behind his back in his usual, stoic stance. "What is it that you wanted us to see, Jim?" he asked in turn, when Leonard's question wasn't answered.

"It's right in front of you!" He called from where he was standing a few feet in front of them, pointing to the lake.

Leonard raised an eyebrow. "The lake?"

"Yes, the lake," Jim said excitedly, nodding to show his enthusiasm. 

"What about the lake?"

"We're gonna use it," he replied easily, kneeling down in front of the bag he'd dropped, unzipping it to finally reveal the contents it carried. Spock and Leonard both walked forward, watching as he pulled out a pair of shoes.

The Doctor narrowed his eyes when he noticed something particularly unusual about them. "Are those ice skates, Jim?" he questioned, although he already full well knew the answer. 

"Yup," the Captain said, popping the 'P' as he pulled out two more pairs, making three in total. He was wearing a foolishly pleased grin. 

"You must be joking. What makes you think that either I or Spock know how to skate?"

"Oh, I know that you don't."

"I am sorry Jim, I believe I am unfamiliar with this activity," Spock interjected, and Leonard might dare to think he sounded nervous. Oh yes, he enjoyed how much more free the Vulcan had allowed himself to become with his thoughts and emotions lately. 

"Well, you put on these shoes," Jim began, holding up one and gesturing to the blade on the bottom, "Balance on them, and you can glide across the ice. It's fun."

"Fun until you fall, you mean," Leonard corrected with a slight shake of his head.

"Oh, don't be like that you old Bones," Jim teased, looking over at the Doctor with a too-wide smile. "I'll hold your hand so you don't fall down."

"The only thing that's going to accomplish is that you'll fall down with me," Leonard pointed out with a small huff of laughter. 

Spock stepped closer to the bag, ignoring his companions for the moment and reaching down, picking up one of the skates to inspect. "Jim, where did you acquire these? To my knowledge, you did not have them before."

"Oh, I borrowed them. They're due back once we're done," the man replied with a small shrug. 

"Borrowed them from where?"

"That's a secret," he hummed with a wink. "I don't want Bones going after them and telling them not to let me borrow 'em again."

"Like that would stop you," the Doctor murmured, but bent down to pick up a pair. "How'd you even manage to get our sizes, huh?"

"My sources have their ways."

Leonard rolled his eyes at the answer, but decided against dignifying it with a response. Obviously, Spock felt the same way, because he kept quiet on the matter as well. Instead, they both went to inspecting the skates that they were to wear.

Jim, for his part, was already slipping his on his feet and tightly lacing them up. 

"I didn't even know you knew how to skate," Leonard said, looking up from the shoes he was holding and observing the man.

"I'm not the best at it, but I have before, yeah."

"When you were younger?" Spock questioned.

Jim hummed his confirmation. "Yeah, I was just a kid, so I might be a little rusty now," he laughed. 

"Somehow, I think you'll end up doing just fine," Leonard huffed, leaning down to unlace the boot in his hand so that he could slip it onto his foot.

"Perhaps that would be the best for us, Leonard. We are, I believe, doomed if Jim cannot skate properly either."

A laughed bubbled out from deep in the Doctor's chest, and he glanced at the Vulcan with a grin. "I think we're doomed either way. We'll be lucky if the ice doesn't end up cracking." He chuckled despite his words, finally slipping his feet into the skates, despite his reservations about engaging in this particular activity. He was positive that at least one of them would fall, if not all three. 

Spock didn't appear too worried, and Leonard found comfort in that, whether the calmness of the man was fabricated or not. Jim as well, seemed to be enjoying himself just as much, and perhaps even more than before. His good mood must have been spurred on because of the fact that his idea received minimal resistance.  

"Alright then, show us how it's done," Leonard grumbled to Jim, balancing on wobbly legs, one hand holding onto Spock's shoulder for assistance. The skates had guards to give him something wider to stand on, and they were on the most firm bit of ground they could find upon walking to the lake, but standing still felt unnatural. He couldn't imagine actually _skating_ , if he couldn't even manage to remain upright.

Spock seemed to be struggling as well, and was leaning upon the Doctor just as much. They used each other to find a balance, but didn't let go of one another's arms, even as they watched the Captain remove his guards and step onto the ice. He appeared to take a moment to right himself, but then glided away with an ease that Leonard knew he himself wouldn't have.

"See? It's not so hard," he called, gliding around and eventually coming to a stop in front of them again. He held out two hands, a wide grin showing off his teeth, and bright eyes shining. "I'll help you both, C'mon." 

Leonard sighed, and took a step froward, prompting Spock, who he still hadn't let go of, to come along with him. He bent down and pulled off the skate guards before reaching out and taking one of Jim's hands. Spock did the same.

"Okay. Ready?" the Captain asked, and at Leonard's nod, and Spock's word of affirmation, pulled them gently forward.

Finding his balance on the thin blades while holding onto both Spock and Jim hadn't been too difficult, but now that he was moving, his stomach lurched at the unnatural feeling of going forward without moving his feet, and he swung his arm that had previously been on Spock's shoulder, afraid that he was going to fall.

"You're alright, Bones," Jim said with a teasing chuckle, stretching his own arms out to his sides, pulling the Vulcan and the Doctor away from one another so they couldn't hold on to each other for balance. They only had Jim's hands to grip onto now. As expected, that didn't really help them to do any better, and the awkward bend at their knees showed just how much effort they were putting into simply standing upright.

"Come on, push forwards. I'm not going to keep pulling you," Jim encouraged as their pace began to slow, the momentum being lost without any effort from Leonard or Spock. 

The Vulcan was the first one to take a step forward on the skates, and Leonard followed suit as they sped up, moving together as one unit. In a gleeful response, Jim laughed. "Yes, you've got it!"

Leonard actually managed a small smile, despite himself, and took another step forward to keep the momentum going. Hey, he was actually doing it. Somehow, they'd all gotten to the middle of the lake without falling.

"Okay, I think you can do it, so go!" And with that sudden declaration, Jim pulled both of his hands free, leaving to let them fend for themselves. Spock somehow kept on his feet by remaining completely still, his arms out at his sides. Leonard, however, overcompensated for the lack of anything to hold onto and took a step back. It wasn't until he was already falling that he remembered he was balancing on razor thin blades that slid on the surface of the ice, and that moving his feet might not actually be the best idea.

He landed hard on the ice, and the only response he got was loud laughter from the other side of the lake. "You alright there, Bones?" Jim asked as he skated forward again. 

He lifted up one hand, waving his middle finger at the stupid boy. "Help me up, you ass," he grumbled. The cold was beginning to seep into his body from sitting on the ice for even a short amount of time.

Thankfully, the Captain complied. "Are you alright, Leonard?" Spock asked, more kindness in his voice, rather than the teasing tone Jim had employed. 

"Fine," he grumbled, which seemed a satisfactory enough answer, for the Vulcan nodded. He observed as Spock somehow managed to push himself forward on the skates, finding a shaky form of balance which allowed him to stand up a little straighter and move slowly on his own. "How are you doing that?"

"I am balancing myself, rather than putting my focus on waving my arms, unlike you," Spock hummed in response, and Leonard knew it was a jab at how he hadn't been able to stand up after Jim had let go, more so than an honest answer.

"Your flailing was your downfall. Literally," the Captain laughed, and Leonard rolled his eyes at the joke made at his expense. 

"Yeah, yeah, hilarious," he huffed, releasing Jim's hand of his own accord this time. Miraculously, he didn't fall this time, and managed to move himself forward in a slow fashion. 

"Look at you, Bones," the man murmured happily, looking him over with a pleased grin. He reached forward, grabbing both of the Doctor's hands, pulling him violently forward into a tight hug. Leonard wasn't sure if he was just _that_ pleased he'd moved on his own, having enough fun that there was a need to hug someone, or just wanted to make him fall again. He wouldn't have been surprised if it was a combination of all three. "Spock, look at him! He's skating," Jim continued to cheer.

"You are doing very well, Leonard," the Vulcan commented, skating over closer to join them. 

"No thanks to either of you," he replied, but was smiling all the same. 

"Aren't you having fun?" the Captain asked, holding onto one of Leonard's hands again with his own, and gripping as Spock's shoulder with the other. 

"When I'm not falling."

"I, also, am finding myself having a pleasant time, despite the cold," Spock hummed.

Jim's grin could rival the damn sun with it's light. "I'm glad."

With that, he began tugging them along again, even though they had both become capable to skating on their own, albeit a big hesitantly. They glided along the ice that way; together, until the sun started going down and Leonard became worried that Spock's temperature would drop too low if they stayed for any longer. 

In the end, Jim still never revealed where he'd gotten the skates, but Leonard found that he didn't care much, anyway.  

**Author's Note:**

> Uh, so I hope you enjoyed reading this, even though it might have some grammar mistakes...  
> [Tumblr](http://double00mogar.tumblr.com/)  
> [Art tumblr](http://aykimra.tumblr.com/) This work will be posted there as well c:


End file.
